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Wheelbarrow race 2018

by Haddenham Webteam – 10th June 2018
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This year's charity fund-raising Wheelbarrow Race was held on Saturday 9th June, once again coinciding with the village fete.

As always, participants were encouraged to compete in fancy dress, and this year another hilarious set of themes emerged!

The task is for a pair of runners to travel along a pre-determined route around the village, taking it in turns to push their partner in a full-scale builder's barrow, calling at each of the village pubs en route. This year the course also included a sprint around Church End Green (without barrows, for reasons of safety) so that fete attendees could join in the fun and encourage the runners.

Competitors are released at intervals and their race is against the clock – shortest circuit time wins.

At the start of the race, and at each pub along the way, all competitors are required to down a half-pint of lager. The finish also requires the consumption of yet another draught of lager before the button on the stop watch is pressed.

The physical demands of this challenge are not for the faint-hearted – and with lots of alcohol is added to the mix, the battle to keep those lungs and muscles performing well becomes an extreme trial. Perhaps it is not without relevance that there is a defibrillator on hand at the Sports & Social Club!

As you will see from some of the photos displayed in our Galleries section, the physical effort is clearly evident on the faces of the pushing partners, as the final stages of the race are completed.

The Results for 2018:

1st Place: Rhys Marshall & Malachi Joyce

2nd place: Rachael Reeves & Emma Chowns (well done the girls!)

Winners of the fancy dress competition were: Karen Bryson & Sally Marshall

Monies raised from this year's Wheelbarrow race will be donated to the Baptist Chapel and Cancer Research UK, with an additional donation to Redkite Radio to help with its running costs.

There are lots more photos to enjoy in the GALLERIES section of this website.

Report from Tim Chowns

On a warm sunny Saturday afternoon the intrepid entrants lined up to start the 2018 Haddenham Wheelbarrow Race. Anticipation and excitement filled the air as one by one they disappeared in to the distance leaving loved ones behind!

Tim C and Rich (Punks) got of to a blistering start and made good progress until fatigue set in approx 50 yards along Woodways. Next cam Alan and Tim F (Scooby and Shaggy) pushing an impressive Mystery Machine. Shaggy miraculously transformed in to a rather attractive Velma during the race, although I don't remember Velma having hairy legs. Next came Ian and John (Mexicans), possibly our first entrants from central America. Karen and Sally (Aunt Sally and Worzel Gummidge) looked absolutely amazing as they started next. Kieran and Owen (Christmas pudding and snowman) added some much needed festive spirit, then Jordan and James brought us back in to summer as Hawaiians. Craig and Alex (cheerleaders) left very little to the imagination and Emma and Rachel as schoolgirls ensured the all the men paid attention. Rhys and Malachi completed our starting line up.

A huge thank you to all of the pubs in Haddenham. We are very lucky to have them and we should all use them more. Ian's generosity at the Sports and Social club is also very much appreciated as is the help Helen gave me and Alan in the organisation. John and Chris did an excellent job on the scoring and our marshals ensured everything went smoothly and safely.

What a marvelous event this is.

But what of the result I hear you say. Well, this event is never without controversy and everyone agreed that if Tim and Rich hadn't had a flat tyre they would have won quite easily. Shaggy's tranformation in to Velma obviously cost them a lot of time or they would have been challenging and no man can run fast in a tight fitting cheerleaders outfit so Craig and Alex also struggled – these three teams filled the bottom three places. Karen and Sally did very well to place 6th, just behind the pre-race favourites the Mexicans (too much Tequila me thinks), and in fourth Kieran and Owen. Now for the important places: 3rd went to Jordan and James, 2nd to Emma and Rach and 1st was Rhys and Malachi in a very impressive 20 mins 12 seconds.

Karen and Sally were runaway winners of the best fancy dress and loads of money was raised for The Baptist Church Haddenham, Cancer Research UK, Red Kite Radio (for their great advertising) and Haddenham.net (Keith works tirelessly for the benefit of the village).

Thank you everyone for supporting.

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